The Rev. Henry Williams Jr. is the new president of the Ministers of Economic Development, an entity created in 2004 to help build a positive environment that would bring about economic development in Alexandria.

Williams is pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Alexandria. The installation ceremony was held Sunday, June 6, at St. Matthew Baptist Church in Boyce. Dr. Joe S. Green is pastor.

“MOED will move beyond the ordinary to the extraordinary,” Williams said.

The organization began in 2004 when two ministers called Johnnie Varnado, the then newly elected president of the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce. The ministers were concerned about “the direction the Chamber would take to improve the economic condition of the community,” according to the group’s history. At that time, the ministers believed drugs, crime and rundown vacant housing were major issues for the community.

To begin addressing the problems, about 14 ministers agreed to begin preaching the same sermon at their individual churches. The sermons would focus on reverence for God, respect for parents and regard for the law.

“As long as we were preaching these topics, crime went down,” said Rev. Green. “Chief (Darren) Coutee didn’t believe it would work, but he had to come back to us to say that the crime statistics showed a decrease. As soon as we quit preaching those topics, crime went back up.”

Other programs MOED has been involved in include the Help, Hope Healing Project, which assisted Hurricane Katrina evacuees, Clergy in the Classroom, which provides ministers in the schools to monitor and counsel students and Ministry in ER, which provides ministerial services to patients and families at Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital.

During Sunday’s program, Elder Mark Vassar, the immediate past president, was the speaker. He emphasized the need for MOED, which is mostly comprised of black male ministers, to be more inclusive of all ministers, including women.

Williams echoed Vassar’s call to broaden its membership and to become more flexible and open to change.

The program also paid homage to Varnado, who MOED considers to be the “mother” of the organization.

The Pentecostals of Alexandria will host a Community National Day of Prayer Gathering from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. today, May 6, at the church, located at 2817 Rapides Ave.

The public is invited to the gathering, which will take place in the sanctuary, and also is invited to visit the church’s prayer room from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 6. The prayer room includes books and interactive items to help visitors focus on
praying, according to Patricia Owens, events
coordinator.

Meanwhile, in Pineville, the event will take place on the steps of Pineville City Hall, said Pastor Nathan Martin

For more than 15 years, citizens of Cenla have been gathering at this location on the National Day of Prayer for an informal time of prayer for the nation, state and city.

Martin said there is no agenda, no set leader and no program. Prayers will be offered by anyone who desires to pray. The event will end with a hymn.

All faiths and denominations are invited to participate in this national event.

The members of Second Evening Star Missionary Baptist Church dedicated their new church facility in a ceremony that featured singing, preaching, and eating.

The church is located at 150 Cooper Road in Alexandria. The congregation had been worshiping at their building located on Hot Wells Springs Road.

The theme of the celebration was “Dare to Trust, Dare to Believe,” taken from Psalm 27:3-5 and Mark 9:23.

The Rev. Ameal Jones, pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Alexandria and former pastor of Second Evening Star, was the speaker.

During the celebration, Pastor Phillip Taylor presented a recognition to the family of the late John Feazell, who had been instrumental in helping the congregation get the necessary permits from the Health Department.

“We were dead in the water as we ran into a hurdle that we didn’t know how to get around,” Taylor said. “Someone told us about John Feazell, who had helped them get an oxidation pond. Mr. Feazell worked with us to get what we needed to pass the Health Department requirement.”

“Unfortunately, God called Mr. Feazell home before we completed the church. His family his here with us today,” Taylor said. Feazell of Boyce died in September 2009.

Other program participants included Juliette Brown, Sarah Lloyd, Cornelius Smith, and Shelia Dupar.

The Louisiana Home & Foreign Missions Baptist State Convention will host a dedication service for its Fountain Pines Baptist Camp at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 17.

The camp is located at 200 Bagdad Loop Road in Colfax.

The Rev. Dr. J. Michael Sanders, pastor of Fountain Baptist Church of Summit, N.J., will be the speaker.

“We have been working with cleanup days, construction projects, planning and our walk of faith to get to this point,” said Dr. Samuel C. Tolbert, Convention president. “Please make plans to be a part of this historic and festive occasion.

The camp is a 25-acre tract of land with some 17 that include, a two-bedroom home for a resident camp director, office and classroom space, a large kitchen, a large general assembly area that will be used for worship and cafeteria, dormitories, storage building, infirmary, and recreational areas.

Having the camp, Tolbert said, allows the opportunity for the Convention to provide youth summer camps and retreats, leadership training institutes, pastor retreats, and disaster response. The facility will also serve as the Convention’s headquarters.